Reconstruction
by wolfsea
Summary: After Sasuke is returned to Konoha, Naruto thinks about what time apart has changed and the things that will always be the same. Set in the "Coming to Terms" and "Taking the Long Road" timeline. Team 7 gen oneshot.


**Author's Note: **This is from the "Coming to Terms" and "Taking the Long Road" timeline. I may have a go at doing a chaptered story, maybe even with pairings if I can stop being such a pansy about it. That's if I can find the time, but currently, I am unsure. Reviews are always appreciated!

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters do not belong to me and I make no profit from this work.

**Reconstruction**

Naruto has watched Sasuke train a hundred times or more and this time isn't any different. All fluid grace and faultless motions performed with an expressionless face that only reveals a hidden anger if you know to look for it. That anger had been a lot more pronounced not too long ago, but it looked like Sasuke was finally accepting the fact that he was back in Konoha for good.

Naruto thought it was about time.

Sasuke had spent months being a complete ass and it was well past time for him to accept that he was a big loser and get over it. Naruto supposed that being an ass was really the only form of entertainment that Sasuke had gotten over the past months, especially since he had to have a higher ranking ninja follow him everywhere and the only one actively willing to do that was Naruto himself, but the guy could've loosened up a little.

Sasuke had been fairly violent and unapproachable after Naruto had dragged him back to Konoha. The battle itself had been brutal and they had both required rather impressive medical treatment after he had somehow managed to haul himself and Sasuke's unconscious, and therefore completely useless, body back to the village.

Sasuke had spent some time in the hospital being glared at by Tsunade, who had decided that Sasuke was too stupid to even be worthy of a lecture, and being cared for by Sakura while he recovered from his wounds. Naruto had spent his days sitting in Sasuke's hospital room, trying to fill awkward silences with words that sometimes made everything seem even more awkward, which didn't seem right at all because he and Sasuke had always had _something_ to say to each other, even if it was only insults.

Sakura had been nervous around their old teammate for the first few days, looking a little sad and hopeful every time she walked into Sasuke's room. Her nervousness didn't last though. After a few days, she gained back all that confidence that she had worked so hard for and Sasuke was the one that looked uneasy with her, as if he wasn't sure what to make of her now. Naruto knew something had passed between them, but he didn't know what and he didn't care as long as the bastard wasn't making her cry anymore.

Sasuke had ended up in Kakashi's care after he left the hospital, which did nothing to improve his mood. His punches were a lot harder and a lot more accurate for the first few months and Naruto thought that being forced to train with Sasuke was Kakashi's revenge on him for bringing the jerk back and thus forcing him upon their teacher. Then again, Kakashi may have just done it for fun. Naruto ends up with more bruises and near concussions than he's ever had during those months, but every time Sasuke decides he wants to spar, Naruto never refuses.

For him, it's too much of a chance to reclaim something that he had come a little too close to losing for his liking, even if it's not really the same as it used to be. He isn't exactly the same either.

When they fight, Naruto's a little more calculating than he used to be. He's not just blindly sure of himself anymore; he actually _knows_ how to use all that power now. Sasuke has new techniques no sane person in Konoha would have willingly used and he throws some of them at Naruto like he means it because he doesn't underestimate the blond, not since The Valley of the End, even if his words say differently. Sakura still watches them from the sidelines sometimes, looking a bit uneasy at the restrained viciousness of their battles, but now when she gets fed up with it, she stalks over and knocks their heads together and calls them _both_ stupid.

So there are differences, but some things haven't changed and Naruto thinks it will mean the world is ending if they did. Sakura is still a balance between the sometimes conflicting intensities that are Sasuke and Naruto. She worries over their injuries and takes care of the both of them, even if she still hits Naruto more often than she hits Sasuke, which he still thinks isn't fair.

Sasuke still walks around like he owns the entire village and he's still a complete bastard, but he's also being a bastard _alongside_ them where he's always belonged instead of in a village an eternity away from them, so it's okay.

Naruto stills prefers to charge into things head first because sitting around making plans makes him twitchy with all the inaction and _of course _he can win, plans worked out or not. He also still feels that surge of happy surprise every time Sasuke asks Naruto to spar with him or Sakura lets him buy her lunch, because the only thing he's never been truly sure of was his place among them and he thinks the best thing in the world is when they remind him that he belongs to them just as much as they've always belonged to him.

So it's all right that Sasuke is still a little angry and that he hasn't even come close to giving up his mission of revenge. This time, Naruto will be there to help him and Sakura will be there to put them all back together again. Even if the bastard doesn't want it.

Naruto watches Sasuke train and decides to pick a fight with him and prove to the jerk that he's not going anywhere and Sasuke will just have to accept that when his fight with his brother finally comes. Naruto's never given up on anything and he sees no reason to start now.


End file.
